Pasta Puttanesca

A great fallback dish for when it's raining out and you don't feel like going out shopping for dinner! Aromatic pine nuts round out the sharpness of the anchovies, and the plump olives produce a satisfying texture. Try it...you're sure to like it!

Steps

1.
Slice garlic and heat in a generous amount of olive oil over low heat until golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside. Dry roast the pine nuts and set aside. Grate the Parmesan cheese. Rinse and chop the spinach into bite-sized pieces.

2.
Mince the onion and sauté until translucent and aromatic. Add the tomatoes, simmer until the juice boils down, then add salt and oregano. Add the olives, then simmer until the tomatoes boil into a sauce.

3.
While waiting for the sauce to boil down, boil the water for the pasta in a large pot. Add 3 heaping teaspoons of salt to the water.

4.
Add the anchovies to the sauce, then stir in the spinach. Once the spinach is tender, swirl in olive oil and turn off heat until the pasta is finished boiling.

5.
Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve onto plates, then garnish with garlic chips, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Story Behind this Recipe

It was raining out and I just didn't feel like going out to shop for dinner. I served it up with a hearty salad and home baked rolls, and there were smiles all around.

Helpful Hints

You can substitute the anchovy fillets with 2-2 1/2 tablespoons anchovy paste instead. You can also use sliced olives. Spice it up with a red chili pepper, if you like. I left out capers, since I was serving to a child, but add them if you prefer a more authentic puttanesca taste.